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The US State Department on 17 September 2026 approved a possible $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35A Lightning II fighters to Saudi Arabia.
The package includes 49 Pratt & Whitney F135 engines (48 installed, 1 spare), support equipment and training. Lockheed Martin is the principal contractor.
Congress has 30 days to review the sale. Israel is the only Middle Eastern country flying the F-35, and lawmakers have raised concerns about Saudi security ties with China.
| Variant | Role | Main user |
|---|---|---|
| F-35A | Conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) | US Air Force; variant sought by Saudi Arabia |
| F-35B | Short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) | US Marine Corps |
| F-35C | Carrier variant (CV) | US Navy |
Requires the executive to notify Congress of major foreign military sales. Congress then has a review period (30 days here) in which it can move to block the sale.
US policy of weighing West Asian arms sales so that Israel keeps a military advantage. This sale tests it, because Israel (F-35I 'Adir') is the region's only F-35 operator.
Prime contractor for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter programme
Maker of the F135 engine that powers every F-35 variant
GS Paper II > International Relations > West Asia; US foreign policy
General Knowledge > Defence > Fighter aircraft
Fighter combining stealth, sensor fusion and networked warfare; e.g. F-35, F-22
US commitment that Israel keeps a technological military advantage over its neighbours
Ability of different forces' systems to operate together in joint missions